Caitlin Moffett

November 2011
Caitlin Moffett
Biology Major

How long have you been attending at Rio?
This is my 5th year at Rio.

Over the years how many different courses in the School of Sciences have you taken? (Estimate if you can’t remember exactly )
I have taken 5 chemistry classes, 3 Math classes, 8 or 9 Biology related classes, and 6 Anthropology classes.

What one science course—not counting this semester—was the one that you have found the most fascinating/interesting so far at Rio…and why?
Vertebrate Zoology. I really am interested in zoological-related sciences and I enjoyed learning about all the different groups of vertebrates and how they have adapted and evolved throughout time.

In your discipline, what individual (or two or three) would you most like to spend a day with so you could pick their brain? (You can choose someone no longer walking the planet…)
Mary Anning. She was a self-made archeologist. I would like to work with her and learn about her life and her work.

Peter and Rosemary Grant. Their work with finches I think is one of the most interesting studies I have learned about. Spending the day capturing finches would be a lot of fun.

What is your favorite food?
Grilled steak with an ear of grilled corn on the cob.

What is your favorite all-time movie (or two)?
I really like the movie “Never Back Down,” and “Avatar.”

What is your favorite hobby/past-time activity?
Photography and scrapbooking go hand in hand with me. I like taking photos of whatever interests me. Scrapbooking allows me to remember all the memories and funny things and relay them in a creative way.

Describe the part of taking a course you like the most. (For example: sitting in on lecture, participating in a lab, the taking an exam, writing a term paper, etc.). Why?
I really enjoy lab because I get to apply what I have learned in lecture in a hands-on type of way. Labs have always helped me better understand what I am learning.

If you could go anywhere in the U.S. for your first job as a professional, where would it be?
Virginia!! I worked at the Prince William Forest Park as an intern this summer and I fell in love with the area.

If you could give an incoming (i.e., freshman) science major one piece of advice of how to succeed (i.e., learn a bunch) during their undergraduate years at Rio, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. No matter how silly they may seem. If you don’t understand something chances are other people in your class might not understand it either.

What is your favorite quote?
“Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit”